x.com/hexprax/status/2109329820266233995
1 correction found
You can't shoot an animal in the process of mauling someone because you can't ask a random zoo employee to risk blowing a guy's head off at work
This is too absolute. Zoos do sometimes use lethal force in life-threatening attacks, and accredited facilities are expected to have trained, authorized response personnel rather than relying on a "random zoo employee."
Full reasoning
The claim says this cannot be done because it would require asking an untrained, random employee to take the shot. Official zoo and zoo-industry sources say the opposite: facilities that keep dangerous animals are expected to have designated, trained firearms responders for exactly these kinds of emergencies.
A concrete example is the Cincinnati Zoo's official statement after Harambe was killed on May 28, 2016. The zoo said a child's life was in danger, that its Dangerous Animal Response Team made the decision to put the gorilla down, and that team members are trained and certified annually by the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office. That directly contradicts the idea that shooting a dangerous animal during an attack would mean asking some random employee to improvise.
Industry standards also contradict the claim's categorical wording. The Zoological Association of America's 2021 accreditation standards say dangerous-animal facilities may require a lethal firearm in an emergency situation, must establish an authorized shooting team, and require documented firearms training and annual qualification for team members.
So while using lethal force is obviously a last resort, it is factually wrong to say you can't do it or that it would necessarily mean sending an untrained zoo worker to take a reckless shot.
2 sources
- Cincinnati Zoo Devastated by Death of Beloved Gorilla - Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
"a child's life was in danger and a quick decision had to be made by our Dangerous Animal Response Team" ... "Minutes later, the Zoo's Dangerous Animal Response Team arrived and made the difficult decision to put the gorilla down" ... "All members are trained and certified annually by the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office."
- ZOOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA - 2021 Edition ZAA Accreditation Standards
The standards state that dangerous species may require "the availability of a lethal firearm in an emergency situation" and that institutions holding dangerous animals "must establish an authorized shooting team" whose personnel "must have documented training" and annual qualification.